Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics with Placement Year

at University of Bath United Kingdom

Learn about the application of contemporary microbiology in health, food biosecurity and environmental sustainability to help address the world’s biggest challenges.

Biosciences research has a huge impact on helping people live longer and healthier lives. With the World Economic Forum identifying healthcare as one of the top 10 Global Challenges for 2030, there is a growing demand for specialists in this field.

This course provides you with a broad understanding of the molecular basis of biological systems, with a focus on microbes and their role in disease, developing new medicines, improving food biosecurity and environmental sustainability.

Study life on all scales to find out where your interests lie, on this flexible and wide-ranging course.

Biology encompasses the study of life from molecules to ecosystems. It's an exciting area of study that has a significant impact on our daily lives and is vital to solving some of the world’s biggest challenges.

You'll gain a broad foundation of skills across areas such as evolution, ecology, biodiversity, genetics, cell biology and microbiology, equipping you with the knowledge for a range of careers in the biosciences and beyond.

Tailor to your interests

As the most flexible of our biosciences courses, from year two you'll get to choose from a wide variety of units. This gives you the option to either maintain breadth or specialise in specific areas, such as developmental biology, genomics, neuroscience, cancer biology or microbiology.

To keep your options open further, you'll even have the flexibility to switch between our biology and biochemistry courses after the first year.

Develop theoretical and practical abilities in software design, development and experimentation, to become an innovative computing professional.

This course is for you if you’re interested in studying computer science but want to wait until later in your degree before deciding what area to specialise in. It's a broad-ranging course giving you the knowledge to apply computer science methods to the latest industry challenges and learn skills highly valued by employers.

Tailor to your interests

In the first year, you’ll learn core skills in mathematics and programming and the foundations of artificial intelligence, software design and development, interaction design, computer graphics and vision. More advanced and specialised units follow in the second and final years. In the second year, you'll complete a group project with other students to design and build an interactive application.

In the final year, you'll choose optional units alongside an individual project combining your interests in a specific area of computer science. You’ll regularly meet with an academic who specialises in your chosen field.

Placement Year

Going on placement gives you the opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge during a year working in industry. You’ll be employed full-time in a role to match your future career ambitions, broadening your experience and transferable skills. This could give you a competitive edge when applying for graduate jobs.

We have links with some of the industry’s leading companies. Recent placement employers include Accenture, Imagination Technologies, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and Google.

Apply the full breadth of physics to a wide range of astrophysical phenomena from star formation to black hole growth and the expansion of the Universe.

Physics with Astrophysics at Bath will give you a strong grounding in physics, along with in-depth specialist knowledge of astrophysics. You’ll learn how to combine evidence from stellar and extragalactic astronomy to build consistent theoretical models of the evolution of galaxies.

Topics covered include exoplanets, galaxies, cosmology, stars and stellar evolution, general relativity and high energy astrophysics. There'll also be opportunities for you to carry out both observational and computational astrophysics projects alongside our astrophysics research group.

Year abroad

Broaden your horizons by spending a year studying at a university abroad. You’ll experience another culture whilst studying a course that complements your studies at Bath.

We currently have links with universities in North America, Australasia, Asia and Europe, including Purdue University, the University of Queensland, National University Singapore and the University of Helsinki.

Develop the skills to resolve complex economic issues. Learn economic theories, methods and applications, and become acquainted with chosen specialist areas.

In this course, you’ll study the foundations of economic theory and its applications to real-world problems. You’ll explore the connections between the economy as a whole, its main sectors (such as businesses, the financial sector, government, for example) and the decisions of individuals.

You’ll learn how to apply economic principles and methods to policy issues. You’ll develop your knowledge of institutions to understand how economic decisions and policies are made.

Your first year is concerned with key concepts in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. You’ll further your skills in core mathematics, statistics and data analysis. In Year 2, you’ll build on this through intermediate study of economic theory. The study of econometrics will enable you to estimate and forecast economic relationships. The final year will teach you advanced economic theory. A selection of optional units will enable you to tailor your expertise to your personal interests and career aspirations.

Placement Year

Taking a placement in your third year enables you to use the theory you have learnt in a practical context. You will learn about an organisation and its area of work in the UK or overseas. This is an excellent opportunity to test potential career paths. Sometimes permanent jobs are offered to our students. You’ll develop skills such as teamwork, planning, problem solving, decision making and project management.

Employers value a year of professional work and you’ll gain an advantage in the job market. Sometimes it is possible for you to acquire additional professional qualifications, particularly in accountancy, whilst on placement.

Integrate mechanical, electrical and software skills to develop innovative products. You’ll be equipped for a career as a multidisciplinary design engineer.

Our course is for creative engineers who want to explore product development, machines and systems. You’ll investigate the relationship between engineering and design to produce new products that are both marketable and functional. We want to inspire you to make the world better by designing and building the products of the future.

In your first two years, you’ll develop a detailed understanding of mechanical engineering. You’ll use mathematics and computing to analyse engineering systems and study design and manufacturing processes. Specialist units encourage you to take a hands-on approach to engineering design. You’ll work with other students in studios, labs and workshops to experiment with design and production. ‘Design-make-test’ activities give you practical experience of designing, building and testing prototypes.

Specialise in vehicle design, performance, analysis and systems. Develop the engineering skills for a career in automotive and motorsport industries.

Our course is for engineers who want to apply fundamental mechanical engineering knowledge to the challenges of the automotive industry including areas such as cost, emissions, performance and materials.

Your first two years of study introduce you to the foundations of mechanical engineering. Using physical science, mathematics and computing, you'll learn how to assess engineering systems. You’ll study vehicle design, manufacturing processes and component analysis in the context of the automotive market. A range of specialist units in your final year allows you to choose where you want to advance your knowledge.

Studying an MEng degree gives you an in-depth study experience through advanced taught units and project work, and it fulfils the educational requirements you need to become a Chartered Engineer.

Placement Year

A placement can give you first-hand knowledge of working in a commercial or industrial environment and count towards becoming a Chartered Engineer. The professional skills you learn can benefit the rest of your degree and improve your career prospects. It can also be an opportunity to earn a salary during your degree and make industry contacts.

Our students have worked at companies such as McLaren Automotive, Williams F1, Red Bull Racing and Jaguar Land Rover.

Equip yourself to work as a professional interpreter and/or translator on this highly respected master's, which can include a training opportunity.

Our MA Interpreting and Translating is designed to give you the practical skills and experience you need to work as an interpreter and translator at a high level.

You must have an excellent understanding of two languages. You can choose from one of two pathways:

• Path 1 allows you to work with two other languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish) into English
• Path 2 allows you to work in both directions between Chinese/English or Russian/English

Our interpreting and translating master's have has been running for over 50 years and is highly respected internationally for the quality of the training provided. Many Bath graduates have gone on to work in organisations such as the EU and UN, as well as other language services around the world.

The course covers professional translation and simultaneous, consecutive and liaison interpreting in public service and commercial settings.

You'll have access to the latest digital interpreting labs, and you will participate in mini-conferences to put your skills into practice, holding debates on controversial topics and acting as both delegate and interpreter.

We seek to arrange external training opportunities for our students with the United Nations or independent agencies, giving you first-hand experience of the workplace and valuable contacts for building your career.

The course is taught by experienced tutors who have all worked as professional translators and interpreters themselves. Some have interpreted for heads of state and government ministers, and/or work for international organisations. They are therefore able to share this wealth of experience with you and provide useful advice on joining the profession.

Study human health and the causes, prevention and treatment of diseases and graduate ready to help tackle global health challenges.

This course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to be a part of the next generation of biomedical research scientists.

You’ll learn to apply biological sciences to explore human health and the causes, prevention and treatment of diseases such as cancer and Parkinson’s disease. You'll study a broad range of topics including genetics, genomics, human physiology, cancer, pathology, infection and immunity, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and pharmacology.

Placement Year

Going on placement gives you the opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge to a year working professionally. You’ll be employed full-time in a role to match your future career ambitions, broadening your experience and transferable skills. This could give you a competitive edge when applying for graduate jobs.

There is a wide range of placement opportunities available each year, from working in marketing for a pharmaceutical company to a lab-based role at a world-renowned research institute. We have links with some of industry's leading companies. Recent employers include Cancer Research UK, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer Inc.

Develop a deep understanding of the fundamental principles of physics, expand your knowledge with flexible options and get involved in our high-level research.

This is our broadest physics degree and gives you the opportunity to explore a wide range of areas in physics, from the nanoscale to the most energetic processes in the Universe.

As well as gaining a deep knowledge and understanding of physics, you’ll graduate with strong experimental, mathematical and computational expertise. You’ll gain powerful problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking skills, preparing you for careers in physics and many other fields as well.

Placement Year

As an MPhys student, you can choose to undertake a research placement in the final year of the course. You’ll spend six months (July to December) working in a research organisation of international standing, before returning to the University for the final semester. We have links with leading research organisations, including CERN, NTT Basic Research Laboratories (Japan), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (France) and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.